Full fashioned knitting machine



' Aug. 4, 1936. R. ANKE FULL FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 28,- 1930 i M152? mrv/ ,6;

ATTORNEYS.

BY ffiadoph/Anlje,

INVENTOR:

Aug. 4, 1936. R ANKE 2,049,887

FULL FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINE 1 Filed Feb. 28, 193p 9 Sheets-Sheet s q I o T q] I U .J M L E I m jg g7 r O I 11 1 IN VEN TOR. i z he BY x A TTbRNEYS.

Aug. 4, 1936. ANKE 2,049,887

FULL FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 28, 1950 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 f1 5-- G- I 92' 0v 9 Q .96 1 9 2 92 233 O 9 3% g 8 o a g D 0' 9 0 Ens--5, FIE- E INVENTOR: fluldoflvhfifllje,

A TTORNEYS.

Aug. 4, 1936. I R ANKE 2,049,887

' FULL FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 28, 1930 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Aug. 4', 1936. R. ANKE FULL FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 28, 1930 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 I I... Inn-ulc- N I INVENTOR:

I lizzdogphjlmft A TTORNEYS.

Aug. 4, 1936. v R. ANKE 2,049,887

FULL FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINE 9 Sheet-Sheet 7 Filed Feb. 28, 1930 fig INVENTOR: Y

EudOZpII AMe,

BY W ATTORNEY, l

/ Aug. 4, 1936. I

R. ANKE 2,049,887

FULL FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 28, 1930 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTOR: fiudolph An ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 4, 1936. R. ANKE 2,049,887

FULL FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 28, 1930 9 Sheets-Sheet 9" Eris-.11

I IN VEN TOR: udozph M116,

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 4, 1936 UNITED STATES 2,049,887 FULL FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINE Rudolph Anke, Reading, Pa., assignor to Textile Machine Works, Wyomissing, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 28, 1930, Serial No. 432,023

19 Claims.

This invention relates to straight or full-. fashioned knitting machines, and generally to the thread-feeding and stop-control mechanisms thereof, the primary object being to provide for full automatic selective pattern controlled operation of the feed traverse of the several threads employed to produce almost any predetermined variety of plain or ornamental fabric.

With the above object in view, this invention relates more specifically to automatic pattern controlled mechanism for selective operation of determined thread-guide rods, and for correlative pattern control mechanism selectively setting stops to regulate the traverse of the operating rods for either part or full course feeding movements.

It is recognized that attempts have heretofore been made to varyingly control the traverseof certain guide rods in successive reciprocations, but such control has been limited and mainly for specific purposes of reenforcing or plating with added thread, while the present improvements are adapted for a wide variety of selective rod operations and varied traverse of each providing for heretofore impossible automatic production of an almost unlimited variety of fabric structures and designs through change of threads and color variation thereof, sectional fabric formation of determined outline and location, and plated or reenforcing and embroidery areasof regular or ornamental figure structures.

The invention and its manner of application to and cooperation with a full fashioned knitting machine are fully described in the following specification in connection with the drawings accompanying the same and forming part thereof, and the novelfeatures are clearly set forth in the appended claims. I

Referring to the drawings which show only such portions of a well known full-fashioned knitting machine structure as are sufficient to fully disclose the application thereto of one embodiment of the invention and its manner of operation,-- 7

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a central portion of a usual knitting machine, unessential portions being broken away or omitted, and showing a relative arrangement of the improved means for selectively engaging determined thread guide carrier rods and for automatically controlling the feeding traverse of the same.

Fig. 2 is mainly an enlarged vertical cross sectional view of the machine; taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and more particularly showing the mechanism for automatically selectively engaging determined thread guide carrier rods.

Fig. 3 is a partial rear sectional elevation taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a partial sectional plan view taken substantially in the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Figs. Sand 6 are detail sectional plan views taken respectively on the line' 55 and 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail elevation looking 10 in the direction of line l-! of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross sectional view of one of the thread carrier rod engaging devices, the .view being taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is mainly an enlarged vertical crosssectional view, similar to that of Fig. 2, but taken on the line Ill-40 of Fig. 1, and showing more particularly the automatic selective rod stop control mechanism.

Fig. 11 is a detail sectional plan view taken on the line llll of Fig. 10 and showing the selective connections to the several rod stop devices.

Fig. 12 is a partial sectional plan view taken on the line i2'|2 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 13 is a similar partial sectional plan view, but taken on the line |3--l3 of Fig. 10. I

Fig. 14 is a rear sectional elevation, similar to Fig. 3, but taken on the line l4l4 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of one of the rod stop slide plates, and Fig. 16 is a side elevation of the same'and its housing, the view being taken on the line lii'-l6 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary cross sectional detail view of the idle course operating mechanism; and Fig. 18 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of. other parts of said mechanism, the cross section 40 being taken at a different longitudinal portion of the machine. v

The knitting machine indicated in the drawings is of the usual multi-seetion type, and its general construction and operation are well un-' derstood and need no particular description other than will appear in connection with that setting forth the present improvements, which latter in volve little material change, inthe known ma.- chine functions, but add mechanisms particularly directed to the automatic pattern controlled selective feed operation of the several threads employed, as will now be fully described.

In full fashioned knitting machines-as well known, the feeding of the threads is efiectd byy a series of guide rods each carrying a plurality of thread guide fingers, one for each needle section, and motion being imparted to selected rods from a common friction box rod operated by the usual coulier motion mechanism. The selection of a desired rod has commonly been determined by manual connection of such rod to one of the series of friction boxes on said friction box rod, and control of said guide rod movements commonly limited by stops engaging the same after determined movements thereof, and special stops being required to be set when sectional fabric or plated areas are to be produced, all such setting movements heretofore being commonly manually effected by the operator prior to starting machine operation or during a determined halt in the latter.

The present improvements provide for the full automatic pattern controlled performance of all such required selecting and setting operations, avoiding omission of any one, or wasteful machine delays, greatly increasing production, insuring against errors, and requiring less skill and attention of the operator.

To provide means for automatically selecting determined carrier rods for operating action,

the construction shown in the drawings comprises the substitution for the heretofore commonly employed friction boxes, of a series of friction clutch devices A, one being preferably provided for each of the eight carrier rods 5 indicated, so that any selected rod may be automatically operated when desired.

The carrier rods 5, as heretofore, are longitudinally movably mounted in frame carried brackets 5, and each is shown as preferably provided with a section of rack teeth 1, for reciprocatively traversing the same. Only one end stop unit for the carrier rods is shown with the mechanism. It is to'be, understood that an identical unit is also necessary at the right hand end of the machine, Fig. l. The carrier operating rod 8, reciprocatively traversed as heretofore by the usual coulier motion mechanism through connection to slur cock bar 8, is also shown preferably provided with rack teeth 9. And each clutch device A is shown provided with a gear wheel l0 in constant mesh with the rack teeth 8 of rod 8, and a gear wheel H in' constant mesh with the rack teeth 1 of its respective carrier rod 5. The gear wheels I0 and II as indicated are connected by suitable frictional clutch mechanism. and it will be readily seen that by determined operation of such clutch means as hereinafter described, selective operation of any carrier rod 5 is simply provided for.

As more clearly shown in Fig. 8, each clutch device A comprises a housing I5, which, contrary to the heretofore employed friction boxes, does not shift its position, and is'fixedly supported on a rigid frame rod l6 so as to overhang the series of carrier rods 5 and rest on a bracket 5 as indicatedand each housing l5, as shown, is formed with suitable bearings for a shaft H for its respective gears ill and II, gear l0 being preferably keyed to said shaft and gear freely rotatable thereon in the path of its particular guide rod'5, and properly spacedly retained in such position by a collar l8 fixed to shaft |1. The particular frictional clutch mechanism indicated in the drawings as connecting gears l0 and H, comprises a flanged brake drum l3 carrying adjustably tensioned spring-backed clutch-plates 20 in frictional engagement with gear said drum and clutch-plates being freely rotatable on shaft |1 except as engaged byan expanding brake ring 2|, and said brake ring, as shown, lies within drum i9 and is carried by a collar 22 keyed to shaft |1 adjacent gear II], a projectable wedge block 23 mounted in said collar being adapted to enter a split in brake ring 2| to expand the latter and lock said drum l9 to collar 22 and thus jointly rotate them, and consequently jointly rotate gears I0 and H, except when rod 5 contacts with a fixed stop to limit its traverse movement when gear II will be held against rotation and the clutch plates 20 will idly slip.

To determinedly project wedge block 23, shaft I1 is shown as having a central aperture in one end thereof to receive an axially shiftable pin 24, the inner end thereof having a bevel-connected reduction 25, and said shaft |1 having a recess through which wedge block 23 extends, the latter being projected when riding on the larger diameter portion of pin 24 and being withdrawn from projection to free brake ring 22 when riding on pin reduction 25. Pin,24 is shown as projecting beyond the end of shaft l1, and formed with spaced collars 26, 26 between which the forked ends of a lever 21 engage to axially shift said pin. Lever 21 is fixed to a shaft 28 to which shaft is secured a. pattern-actuated arm 29, and a hand lever 30 for manual engagement and disengagement of any particular rod 5 when desired. A spring catch 3| may be provided to hold pin in desired position.

Each clutch device A as indicated is provided with its own particular lever 29, and each of said levers is operated by its particular one of a series of rods 35 extending in spaced parallel relation to carrier rods 5 and mounted in suitable carrying brackets 35, and said rods 35 are selectively moved by suitable pattern controlled mechanisms hereinafter fully described, whereby automatic selection of any carrier rod is determinedly provided for.

The particular pattern control mechanism for determinedly moving selected ones of rods 35 in either direction to connect or disconnect its respective clutch mechanism asabove set forth, comprises a series of levers 40, each having its forked end engaging between collars 4|, 4| secured to its respective rod; said levers each being fixed to a particular one of a series of shafts 43, mounted in a suitable bearing bracket 44, as clearly seen in Fig. 3. The opposite end of each shaft 43, as seen in Fig. 7, is provided with a crank arm 45, to which is pivoted one end of an arm 46, the other ends of the series of said arms being bent to converge and each respectively pivotally connected to one of a series of cross levers 41, all intermediately pivotally carried on a common axle 48 suitably mounted in bearing bracket 44. Located below said axle '48, and lying in parallel spaced relation on opposite sides therefrom are two axles 49 and 50, each intermediately pivotally carrying a series of levers 5| and 52, respectively, with the inner ends of said levers overlapping in a medial line below axle 48, the drawings showing eight levers 5| and eight levers 52. The oppositely extending end of each lever 5| is shown connected by its separate link 53 to an end of its respective one of the series of levers 41, and the other ends of levers 52 are respectively separately connected by similar links 54 to said levers 41 on the side of the latter adjacent arms 45. By appropriate action exerted on any one of the overlapping inner ends of levers 5| and 52 motion may be imparted to a determined lever 41, lever 5| swinging it to -move its arms 46 upward, and lever 52 to move -88 whereby gear 80 overlying inner ends of levers 5| and 52, the

drawings show a row of push bars slidably mounted in a frame 56 so as to lie in a vertical plane directly beneath said inner ends, the drawingsindicating seventeen of said bars 55, sixteen acting individually on the sixteen inner ends of levers 5| and 52, and the seventeenth controlling a movement hereinafter set forth through a special bell crank 51 (Figs. -2 and 6) mounted on axle 49, and having one end 58 thereof, similar in shape to the inner ends of levers 5|, extending above said seventeenth push bar 59.

To automatically selectively actuate any of the push bars 55 and 59, the drawings show a pattern chain 60 made up of pivotally connected sections of a width suflicient to embrace the row of seventeen bars 55, the selective movement of the latter being effected by properly placed pins 6| spacedly fixed to determined chain sections. This chain is carried by a drum 62 and its necessarily extended length is carried over idler drums or rollers 63, 64, 65, 66 and 61 adjust'ably mounted in suitable supporting arms of a chain carrier bracket 69 fixed to the knitting machine frame.

Drum 62 is shown carried by a shaft 10 mounted in the depending ends of a pair of links 1|, 1|, the other ends of which are pivotally connected to the ends of a pair of levers 12, 12 fixed to a shaft 13 mounted in frame carried .bearings 14, 14. Shaft 13 is indicated as determinedly rocked by a lever 15 fixed thereto and having its free end provided with an anti-friction roller 16 riding on a suitably shaped cam 11 provided on the knitting machine main cam shaft 18, a spring 19 holding said roller 16 against said cam 11. Cam 11 acts to rock shaft 13 and thus raise and lower drum 62, carrying the pins 6| of chain 62 into contact with determined ones of push bars 55 to move the latter into action against their respective lever ends 5| or 52, which latter, as above set forth reversely shift rods 35 and these in turn selectively control the engagement and disengagement of the clutches of the respective devices A to operate a selected rod 5. e

To determinedly rotate pattern chain 60 step by step, a ratchet gear 80 is shown secured to drum 62 and a pawl 8| is pivotally hung intermediately from a link 82, which'link has one end pivotally connected at 83 to a fixed arm 84 and its other end pivotally connected at 85 to one of said links 1|. The raising and lowering move- ,ment of link 1| will act at each reciprocation to rack gear 86 and thus bring a new chain section into operation against push bars 55 at each upward movement of drum 62. Pawl 8| is shown provided with an angular arm 86 adapted to engage with a suitably placed chain pin 6|, whereby said pawl at a determined time is thrown out of engagement with gear 89 to stop the aforesaid rotation of the pattern chain. A hand lever 61 is also shown, carrying a spring pressed pawl may be racked when desired to move pin 6| from beneath arm 86 to release the pawl 8| for resumed action on gear 80; said hand lever carried pawl 68 as shown also acting such rod operation may be as a reverse movement locking pawl for ratchet gear 80. Pattern chain pin 6| may be set to act at the end of a cycle of movement of said chain,

or several may be employed to interrupt the chain action for long continued repetition of a fixed selected rod operation or such chain halting may be desirably employed for other special purposes of halting the machine operation for certain adjustments or for resetting of certain non-automatic controls.

At times it is desired to make so-called idle courses as heretofore and well understood to return the slur-cock bar 8 to its idle position after completion of certain courses, and provision is made for automatically effecting such idle courses as shown in the drawing by employing a suitably set chain pin 6| to determinedly act on push bar 59 which actuates the end 58 of bell crank 51 .to swing the latter. Bell crank 51 as clearly shown in Figs. 2, 4, 17 and 18 is connected by a rod 99 to one end of an intermediately pivoted lever 9| the opposite end of which is formed with a cam foot 92 adapted to engage the angular extension of a spring tensioned catch lever 93 and turn the latter on its pivot 94. Lever 93 has a projection (not shown) acting as a catch to normally lock a lever arm 95 in depressed pos'ition against action of its spring 96 normally tending to swing said lever 95 having an extension beyond said catch lever engagement adapted to bear against a fixed projection on axially shiftable rod 91. The opposite end of lever 95, as indicated when released by catch lever 93 moves into the path of action of a compound cam 98 on cam shaft 18, said cam then acting to swing said lever 95 on its pivotal support and also swing it in a plane at right angles thereto to longitudinally shift rod 91. The shifting of rod 91 shifts the cam operating needle-presser lever 98' to the action of a different cam path on its operating cam 99 which different cam path will prevent needle beard-closing movement of presser lever 98, and furnish an idle course movement of a carrier rod at certain times necessary and understood in the art.

The mechanism above fully set forth, provide for the automatic pattem-controlled selective operation of any desired thread-carrier rod 5, and while it has been thought essential to fully illustrate and describe the means for accomplishing this purpose, the specific structure disclosed forms the subject matter of a separate application filed June 3, 1930 by Max Richter, Serial No. 459,098.

To accomplish my aforesaid stated purpose of providing full automatic selective pattern-consaid lever in a reverse direction,

trolled operation of the feed traverse of the several threads employed, additional automatic pattern-controlled mechanism is required to varyingly stop the traverse of any rod that may be thus selectively operated. And while it is true such rods in order that the full possibilities of utilized in economical continuous operation of the knitting machine.

To provide such desired correlative means for automatically controlling the thread feeding traverse of the several guide rods 5, automatically selectively engaged to function as above fully set forth, the particular means shown in the drawings comprises duplicate devices B, B, Fig. 1, one acting to stop rods moving to the right, and the other to stop rods moving to the left. As these devices, outside of their action as right or left stops, are identical in construction and operation, a description of one will suffice for both.

Referring particularly to Figs. 10 to 1'1, control stopping of the rods 5 is shown as effected by a series of slide stop plates I00, each having an angularly stepped edge I01 adapted to engage dogs I02 spacedly fixed to the respective carrier rods; and each plate being preferably split or forked so as to straddle its respective rod in moving up and down across the same so that a particular step of edge IOI may be positioned to engage its respective rod dog I02. A series of eight slide stop plates I00 are shown in the drawings, one to act respectively on each of the eight carrier rods 5 indicated, and are mounted to slide vertically in a housing I03 held in suspended position overhanging said guide rods by a bracket I04 carried on rod I6 and fixedly retained by a frame secured bracket extension I05. Individual selective positioning of each slide is effected, as shown, by means of an integral eccentric pin or stud I06 projecting laterally therefrom through a vertical slot in the housing wall, four such pins from four of the slides projecting through one housing wall and four from the other slides projecting through the opposite housing wall, such arrangement permitting desirably close assembly of a series of operative levers I01 having their forked ends engaging the projecting ends of the several pins I06, which latter are of stepped length for this purpose, as shown. The series of levers I01 have a common pivotal support on a rod I08 mounted in extensions I09 of bracket I04, and each lever is intermediately pivotally connected to its respective 'one of a series of pattern actuated bell cranks III by a connecting link member I I0.

From the description thus far advanced, it will be readily understood that by proper selective variable movement of any of the bell cranks I I I, the respective slide plate I00, actuated thereby through the mechanism above fully set forth, will be positioned vertically in the path of travel of its particular guide rod 5, so that a determined step of its inclined edge IOI will engage a fixed dog I02 to stop the travel of its respective rod 5 at such step position. By varying the extent of movement imparted to bell crank Ill, any selected step of edge IOI may be determinedly positioned. And it will furthermore be clear that the single point of variance of devices B, B, thus far set forth, is in the direction of incline of their respective slide plates I00, the inclined edges I!!! of which are opposed so that one will act as a right hand stop and the other as a left hand stop for the series of rods 5. These opposed sets of slide plates I00, as above described, may readily perform all the required control regulations of the carrier rods, or they may be employed to act as supplemental rod controls adding additional automatic controls to the usual machine rod stops heretofore provided and employed in well known manner, such automatically variable control acting in conjunction with automatic selective operation of the carrier rods heretofore set forth, pro- -viding for a multiplicity of automatically correhated thread feeding movements of part or full course traverse during continuous automatic machine operation and the production of an almost unlimited variation of fabric structure and ornamentation and. combinations thereof.

To automatically control the determined move- 5 ments of the aforesaid bell cranks III, the drawings show similar pattern chains I I5 for the dual devices B and B, the following description of one such pattern chain mechanism sufficing, as they are essentially identical in construction and operation- 4 The drawings show eight bell cranks III, the chain actuated ends II2 of which lie in closely spaced relation, actuating the eight slide plate positioning levers I01, a ninth bell crank I I3, has a vertical instead of horizontal arm, actuating mechanism hereinafter more fully described.

The pattern chain II5 as shown, is made up of pivotally connected sections of a width sufllcient to embrace the row of nine bell cranks III and 20 H3, and carries properly placed pins I56, this chain being similar in construction to pattern chain 60 except that the pins II6 are of differing length to impart varying movements to said bell cranks as required to vary the position of slide 25 plates I00. This chain H5 is carried by a drum H1 and its extended length supported .on idler drums or rollers H8, H9, I20, I2I, I22, I23 and I24 adjustably mounted in suitable supporting arms of a carrier bracket I25 fixed to the knitting 30 machine frame.

Drum H1 is provided with a coaxial ratchet gear wheel I26 and is rotatably carried on axle I21, which axle is mounted to slide horizontally in a slotted bearing I28 formed in an extension 35 of fixed bracket I25, To the projecting ends of axle I21 are pivotally secured the forked ends of an actuating arm I23, the opposite single end of which is pivotally connected to the end of a lever I30, fixedly mounted on shaft I3I carried in extensions I32 of bracket I25. A second lever I33 fixed to said shaft I3I carries at its end an antifriction roller I34 adapted to ride on. a suitable cam I35 on the main cam shaft 18 of the knitting machine. Motion imparted by said cam I35 will move chain drum I I1. from and toward the series of bell crank ends I I2, and the chain pins I I6 will variously move them at each drum reciprocation. A racking movement is imparted to drum II1 by means of a pawl I36 pivotally carried at one end of a lever I31 intermediately pivoted on drum axle I21 the other end-of lever I31 having a hand actuating rod I38 for manually racking said drum, and a spring I39 normally tending to move said lever I31 to the right. Pawl I36 is held in 55 engagement with ratchet gear I26 by means of a spring I40, and a catch arm I4I intermediately pivotally supported on lever I 31, is held against a fixed stop I42 by spring I43. At each advancing movement of, drum II1 spring I39 moves lever I31 60 to position pawl I36 to engage an advanced tooth of ratchet gear I26, and at each return movement of said drum, fixed stop I42 engages catch arm I to move lever I31 against the tension of its spring I39 and thus cause pawl I36 to rack 65 and remain idle during reverse rod movement. Cam shaft 18 however commonly makes one complete rotation during movement of a carrier rod in one direction, and its cam I35 would therefor act to unnecessarily oscillate said chain drum during reverse rod movement and necessitate burdensome double length of the pattern chains.

Toavoid such unnecessary cam action, the drawings show shaft 18 as carrying a concentric disc I50 adjacent cam I35, upon which friction roller I34 is moved to idly ride during such reverse rod movement. As best seen in Figs. 10, 13 and 14, slur-cock bar 8 movable jointly with carrier operating rod 8, is indicated as carrying two fixedly secured spaced contact blocks I5I and I52, block I5I engaging and swinging a lever I53 at the end of said rod movement in one direction, and block I52 engaging and oppositelyswinging the same lever I53 at the end of reverse rod movement. Lever I53 is shown as secured to a shaft I54 having a crank arm I54 pivotally carrying a link I55, said link having a tensioning spring I56 normally holding its notched end I51 in engagement with a pin I58 on crank I59 carried by a shaft I60. Shaft I is mounted in suitable bearings and carries a lever I6I engaging with friction roller I34, the latter having a limited lateral movement in its mounting on lever I33. The action of rod block I 5|v engaging and swinging lever 153 will be to effect, through the aforesaid connection, a turning movement to shaft I60 causing the arm I6I of the latter to shift roller I34 from cam I35 to concentric disc I50. Rod block I52, by engaging lever I53 will oppositely move the latter and consequently reversely shift roller I34 so as to again ride on cam I35. It will be understood that the slur cock bar 8 will carry two other contact blocks similar to blocks I5I and I52 adapted to act on the corresponding lever I53 of the similar control mechanism for the other one of the duplicate devices B, B, so that the pattern chain drums I I! of said similar devices will operatively reciprocate once for each two rotations of cam shaft I8.

To automatically stop the pattern chains II5, as at the end of a complete rotation thereof, or intermediately thereof for any desired purpose, a chain pin may be readily set to engage bell crank H3 and cause the latter to bodily shift lever I10 on its pivot bearing rod I1I against the retractive action of spring I12, such shifted position of said lever I10 placing it in position for engagement with a suitable pin I13 on-slur cock bar 8*, to swing said lever on its pivot III. The opposite end of lever I10 carries a finger I14 engageable with the end of link I55 and movement of said lever I10 by said pin I13 causes finger I14 to swing link I55 to disengage its notch I 51 from crank pin I58, such disengagement taking place when roller I34 is riding on disc I50 and preventing shifting of said roller by the next action of block I'5I on lever I53. When thus stopped pattern chain I I5 will remain at rest irrespective of continued machine operation until hand rod I38 is operated to free bell crank II3 from such pin engagement.

The mechanisms above fully described thus provides for full automatic pattern controlled action of the feeding traverse of any of the component threads employed by selective operation of any guide rod 5-and by control of its traverse feed movement through selective setting of any stop plate I00. Variations and selected combinations of such control movements will automatically produce almost any fabric variation desired and any reenforcing or ornamenting with added thread. Also sectional fabric may be produced with so-called closed or overlapping suture seams. Where open or so called split foot" suture seams are desired the drawings indicate provision for effecting this purpose by making eccentric the pivotal connection I80 of arm I29 and lever I30, and providing such pivotal connection with an arm I8I by means of which it may be turned. The turning of such eccentric pivot I80 after lever arm I28 has been moved forward the full extent by action of cam I35 on lever I33, will cause an additional forward movement being imparted to chain drum H1 and consequently additional movement of certain slide stop plates I00 permitting an additional feed movement to rods stopped by the first position of said plates I00. Such additional feed movement of the rods is effected after the knitting action of such course and produces as well known in the art, an open suture seam commonly known as a split foot seam.

Determined turning movement of eccentric arm I8I is effected as indicated by a cam I on cam shaft 18 acting on the anti-friction roller I88 of a lever I81 pivotally supported at I88. A second lever I89 on said pivotal support I88 is moved by lever I81 to turn arm I8I through connecting link I9I. Anti-friction roller I86 is laterally shiftable into and out of the path of cam I85, the drawings merely indicating a hand lever I90, as such movement is ordlnarilyfor continued lengths of courses when employed at all, and therefore it is not essential to make it automatically operative, but 3 merely requires certain pins in the pattern chain to interrupt automatic operation for such hand setting. It is obvious however that such hand movement might be automatically effected if desired. I

From the foregoing description it is believed the nature of the present improvements and their manner of operation will be readily understood, and while one form of embodiment has been shown and set forth in detail other forms and modifications may be readily devised within the spirit of the invention as defined claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a straight knitting machine. a plurality of movable carrier rods, end stops therefor, a plurality of independently operable auxiliary stops located between said end stops and each arranged to stop in individual carrier rod at varied points in its travel and automatic means including a pattern device for actuating each of said stops independently of the others.

2. In a straight knitting machine including a plurality of individual movable yarn carriers, yarn carrier driving means, a plurality of variably actuating stop units located along the plurality of yarn carriers, each of said units comprising a plurality of similarly formed stop plates, one for each carrier, means operative to select a yarn carrier tobe driven by said driving means, means cooperating with, and operating in timed relation in the following to said yarn carrier selecting means to select the termined carrier rod stroke, and common actuator means operating the selecting means in timed relation one to the other.

4. In a straight knitting machine including a plurality of individual movable yarn carriers, yarn carrier driving means, a plurality of variably actuating stop units located along the plurality 'of yarn carriers, each of said units comprising a plurality of similarly formed stop plates, one for each carrier, means operative to select a yarn carrier to be driven by said driving means, means cooperating with, and operating in timed relation to said yarn carrier selecting means to select the corresponding stop plate to efiect a determined yarn carrier stroke, said cooperating means including predetermined pattern control mechanism.

5. In combination with a straight knitting machine, automatic thread-traversing mechanical control mechanism comprising a plurality of movable thread carrier rods, separate operative mechanisms for said rods, means for selectively engaging a determined mechanism with its respective rod, separate rod stop devices for said rods each having a plurality of rod-engaging stops selectively movable into the path of its respective rod, means for selectively moving said stop devices to position determined rod stops of the latter, and cooperative pattern control mechanisms for said selective rod operating means, and for said selective rod stop positioning means.

6. In combination with a straight knitting machine, automatic thread-traversing mechanical control mechanism comprising a plurality of movable thread carrier rods, operative mechanism for selectively moving determined rods and for varying the feed traverse movement of said rods in successive knitting courses, pattern mechanism controlling the selective operative movements of determined rods and their varied traverse movements, said pattern mechanism also controlling intermittent interruption of said selective operative movements.

1. In combination with a straight knitting machine, automatic thread-traversing mechanical control mechanism comprising a plurality of movable thread carrier rods, separate operative mechanisms for the several rods each having a frictional clutch engaging connection, means for selectively operating the respective clutch connections, separate stop devices for the several rods each having a plurality of rod-engaging stops selectively positioned by movement of its device to variably limit the feed traverse movement of its respective rod, means for selectively moving said stop devices, and cooperative pattern control mechanisms.

8. In combination with a straight knitting machine, automatic thread traversing mechanical control mechanism comprising a plurality of reciprocatively movable thread carrier rods, separate bifurcated stop devices overhanging the several rods each adapted to straddle its respective rod and movable vertically across the latter and each having a stepped angular edge, each step thereof forming a rod-engaging stop to variably limit the traverse movement of its respective rod, and pattern mechanism controlling the automatic selective vertical movements of said stop devices to determinedly position selected steps of the 5 latter.

trol mechanism for selectively moving said slide plate.

10. In a straight knitting machine having a reciprocatively movable thread carrier rod, a rod stop control mechanism comprising a bifurcated stepped-edge slide plate adapted to straddle said rod and move across the same to position a selected step in the path of travel of said rod, and pattern control mechanism for selectively moving said slide plate.

11. In a straight knitting machine having a reciprocatively movable thread carrier rod, a rod stop control mechanism comprising a steppededge slide plate movable across said rod to position a selected step in the path of travel of said rod, a lever mechanism for slidably moving said plate, and a pattern chain having pins of varying height to variously operate said lever mechanism.

12. In a straight knitting machine having a plurality of reciprocable thread carrier rods, end stops therefor, adapted to control the throw ofthe rods carrying the body yarn, auxiliary rod stop control mechanism comprising a plurality of stepped-edge slide elements, intermediate the ends of each of said rods, variably movable to positionany selected step thereof in the path of travel of the related rod, and pattern control mechanism for causing variable movement of any selected one of said elements to position a determined step thereof in operative relation to its respective rod.

13. In combination with a straight knitting machine, automatic thread traversing mechanical control mechanism comprising a plurality of reciprocatively movable thread carried rods, end stops therefor, separate stepped stop devices passing between the several rods intermediate the ends thereof and each reversely movable relative to and along a side of its respective rod to determinedly limit the traverse movement of the latter, and pattern mechanism selectively controlling said stop devices to eifect varied movement of a-determined stop device relative to its respective rod.

14. In combination with a straight knitting machine, automatic thread traversing mechanical control mechanism comprising a plurality of reciprocatively 'movable thread carrier rods, end stops therefor, a pair of stop devices intermediate the ends thereof, each device comprising a plurality of rod-engaging stepped stops adapted to pass between the carrier rods and arranged for variedv movement in reverse directions to position a determined step in the path of said rod, said devices coacting to variably limit the traverse movement of the latter in both directions of its reciprocative movements, and pattern mechanism controlling said stop devices to cause variable movements thereof to position determined stops in the path of their respective rods.

15. In combination with a straight knitting machine, automatic thread traversing mechanical control mechanism comprising a plurality of reciprocatively movably thread carrier rods, end stops for said rods, additional stop devices for the several rods each having a plurality of rodengaging stepped stops coacting with said end stops and selectively positioned by movement of its ll device to lie in the path of travel of its respective rod and adapted to pass between said rods to variably limit the traverse movement of the latter, and pattern mechanism controlling the automatic selective movements of said stop devices to determinedly position selected stepped stops of the latter.

16. In combination with a straight knitting machine, automatic thread traversing mechanical control mechanism comprising a plurality of reciprocatively movable thread carrier rods, separate bifurcated stop devices for the several rods each adapted to straddle its respective rod and movable across the latter and each having a stepped angular edge each step thereof forming a rod-engaging stop to variably limit the traverse movement of its respective rod, and pattern mechanism controlling the automatic selective movements of said stop devices to determinedly position selected steps of the latter.

17. In combination with a straight knitting machine, automatic thread traversing mechanical control mechanism comprising a plurality of reciprocatively movable thread carrier rods, end stops for said rods, a plurality of stop devices for the several rods each device having a plurality of rod-engaging stepped stops coacting with said end stops and selectively movable into the path of its respective rod and adapted to pass between said rods to variably limit the traverse movement of the latter in one direction of its reciprocative movements, and pattern control mechanism for said stop devices controlling their independent selective movement to position determined rodengaging stops thereof in the path of traverse 9 their respective carrier rods.

18. In combination with a straight knitting machine, automatic thread traversing mechanical control mechanism comprising a plurality of reciprocatively movable thread carrier rods, separate stepped stop devices for the several rods with each stepped stop thereof positionable to limit the traverse movement of its respective rod, pattern control mechanism adapted to automaticallymove said devices to position selected steps thereof, and mechanism controlled by said pattern mechanism and adapted to move one step out of position after its rod stopping action and position a different step in position to eiTect a delayed additional movement of the rod whereby a split-seam loop is formed.

19. In a straight knitting machine having a reciprocatively movable thread carrier rod, a rod stop control mechanism comprising a steppededge slide plate movable across said rod to position a selected step in the path of travel of said rod, a lever mechanism for slidably moving said plate, an oscillating pattern chain controlling varied movements of said lever mechanism, a cam actuated lever adapted to oscillate said pattern chain, and a chain controlled mechanism adapted to effect a delayed continuation of said cam actuated lever to additionally move said pattern chainiin one oscillation whereby a different step is positioned after rod stop by another step to effect a delayed additional rod movement.

RUDOLPH ANKE. 

